Please choose the correct answer to fill in the blank Zhānɡ Wěi: Jīntiān shì làbā, wǒmen chī shénme? 张 伟： 今天 是 腊八，我们 吃 什么？ Zhang Wei: Today is the Laba Festival. What will we eat? Nancy: ____ Nancy：_____ Nancy：_____ A. 吃饺子。(Chī jiǎozi.)
B. 喝腊八粥。(Hē Làbā zhōu.)…
New Year’s Day 2015 is coming! Happy New Year! New Year’s Day is an official holiday in many countries, but different countries celebrate the day in unique ways So what is New Year in China like? How do Chinese people celebrate it? Let’s take a closer look!…
Christmas and the New Year are coming. Have you picked gifts?
Trying to find the perfect gift to buy for friends, relatives, children etc, can be a bit overwhelming at times, and that’s without having to tiptoe around cultural taboos.
Chinese are very careful when giving gifts.…
Please help Rose to pick an appropriate gift for her Chinese friend. Zhāng Míng: Shèngdàn jié dào le, nǐ gěi nǐde Zhōng’guó péngyou zhǔnbèi le shénme lǐwù? 张 明： 圣诞 节 到 了，你 给 你的 中国 朋友 准备 了 什么 礼物？ Zhang Ming: Christmas is coming!…
Please choose the correct answer to fill in the blanks. Nancy: Dōngzhì chī shénme? Nancy：冬至 吃 什么？ Nancy: What do you eat on the Winter Solstice?
Wáng Lì: Dōngzhì, běifāng chī ____ , nánfāng chī ____. 王 丽：冬至， 北方 吃____， 南方 吃____。 Wang Li: On the day of the Winter Solstice Festival, northerners usually eat____, while southerners eat____.…
Please choose the correct answer to fill in the blank.
Zhāng Huá: Xià zhōu èr shì shíyī yuè shíyī hào, ___, nǐ dǎsuàn zuò shénme? 张 华：下 周 二 是 11 月 11 号，___，你 打算 做 什么？ Zhang Hua: Next Tuesday, the 11th of November, is Singles’ Day.…
Zhōngqiū jié, wǒmen chī ___ , chūqu __, tīng ___ de gùshi. 中秋 节，我们 吃___， 出去 __，听 ___ 的 故事。 Please choose the correct answer to fill in the blanks. A. 饺子(jiǎozi), 放鞭炮(fàng biānpào), 孔子(Kǒng Zǐ)
B. 月饼(yuèbǐnɡ), 赛龙舟(sài lóngzhōu), 屈原(Qū Yuán)
C. 粽子(zòngzi), 爬山(páshān), 牛郎织女(Niúláng Zhīnǚ)
D.…
Which of the following is not associated with Spring Festival? A. 春联 (chūnlián) Spring Festival couplets
B. 鞭炮 (biānpào) firecrackers
C. 粽子 (zòngzi) rice dumplings
D. 红包 (hóngbāo) red packets
Which of the following is NOT a New Year’s greeting? A. 新年好！(Xīnnián hǎo!)
B. 新年快乐！(Xīnnián kuàilè!)
C. 新年开心！(Xīnnián kāixīn!)
John: Chén Wěi, nǐ nǚ péngyou zhēn piàoliang! John: 陈 伟，你 女 朋友 真 漂亮！ John: Chen Wei, your girlfriend is so beautiful! Chén Wěi: Năli năli! 陈 伟： 哪里哪里！ Which of the following did you see in this dialogue? A. Chen Wei doesn’t think his girlfriend is beautiful.…
In the previous issue we introduced four keywords about Spring Festival: 春运 (chūnyùn), 春晚 (chūnwǎn), 春联 (chūnlián) and 压岁钱 (yāsuìqián). Of course, there are more than 4 words to learn about Chinese New Year, so today we’ll continue our discussion to bring you up to speed.…
Spring Festival, 春节 (Chūnjié), also known as Chinese New Year, is just around the corner. During this time of year, people of many different walks of life, from students to migrant workers, all suddenly have the same aim: to travel back to their hometown to celebrate Spring Festival with their loved ones.…
To celebrate the New Year, (Watch the video and know how Chinese people celebrate the New Year) Wang Wei invites his girlfriend Zhang Li to have dinner at a restaurant, but the two face a few challenges…
Nǐ chī cù ma? Wang Wei：你 吃醋 吗？
Wǒ bù chī.…
Christmas, or “圣诞节 (shèngdàn jié),” is on its way! Department stores, shopping malls and supermarkets all over China are adorned with decorations and are blasting holiday song favorites. The crinkling of wrapping paper echoes through hallways as people begin to prepare gifts for their loved ones; and the fierce stone beasts that guard city banks seem a bit merrier than usual.…
In the previous article, we mentioned that modern Chinese wedding ceremonies involve many elements from western traditions, such as wearing a white wedding gown, exchanging rings, and walking down the aisle to Mendelssohn’s wedding march. However, there are some unique wedding traditions that never lost their place in Chinese weddings.…
Key Learning Points (Preview):
结婚礼服(jié hūn lǐ fú): n. wedding gown
喜事(xǐshì): n. refers to weddings and any happy events
被子(bèizi): n. quilt
It is common knowledge in the Western world that brides on their wedding day wear something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.…
When you’ve been invited to a social event in China, it’s courtesy to bring a special gift for the host. For this the options are nearly limitless: food, clothes, books etc. However, there are a few exceptions. For example, in China, a clock “钟(zhōng)” should never be given as a present.…
Every year on the seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar (this year it falls on August 23) is Chinese Valentine’s Day “七夕节(Qīxījié).” As is the custom elsewhere in the world, this is a day devoted to romance. Chinese Valentine’s Day is fast approaching; lovers are now planning how to spend their festival.…
Key Learning Points (Preview):
戴香包 (dài xiāngbāo) v. to wear the sachet
香 (xiāng) adj. fragrant/delicious
It’s widely known that people enjoy “粽子 (zòngzi) rice dumplings” and “赛龙舟 (sài lóngzhōu) dragon-boat races” during the annual Dragon Boat Festival, but amongst all the customs, the most elegant one is surely the making and adorning of a sachet.…
